Jane Cooke
Group Operations Director
My parents came from Fleetwood but I was born in Luton, before moving to the Midlands as a baby, growing up near Henley-in Arden, Warwickshire. I currently live near Leominster, Herefordshire with my husband, two grown up children and a very sweet but slightly mad cocker spaniel.
I was quite a studious type, but did not really enjoy school and dreamed of the days when I might become an air hostess and ‘see the world.’ I was fortunate to secure a cabin crew position with British Airways on leaving school but, in the end, I opted for a life in Front Office management, Sales and Duty Management in 4 and 5 star hotels around the UK and in South Africa.
What attracted you to working at RRA Architects?
My hospitality career lasted 35 fabulous years but there came a time when I wanted a better work-life balance and weekends off so I decided to utilise my office and event management experience out of the Industry.
I met Mark on a cold day early December 2016 for what was to become a very fateful meeting and by the afternoon I was fortunate to have been offered the position of Office Manager at RRA. Mark understood my past career – having been to or stayed in most, if not all, of the hotels and he knew the standards I was working to. Thankfully, he felt my customer service standards would be an bonus to his team of amazing architects. I started in the Hereford office on the 2nd January 2017, and 2 years later I was promoted to Business Manager, a position I thoroughly enjoy as two days are never the same! Having always had a keen interest in architecture and construction I am now so lucky to be a tiny part of the RRA team, watching clients dreams become reality.
What was your proudest moment?
If asked what my proudest moment in my working life has been so far – I would say it was making the scarry transmission from an industry I knew inside and out to a totally new industry in my early 50’s – but I am so glad I did!
If this question was asked about my personal life it would have to be raising of 2 great kids who I truly adore and would do anything for!
If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you be headed?
If I could go anywhere in the world tomorrow I think I would like to go back to Cape Town, South Africa, we left there 20 years ago and have never returned and I left a part of my heart there!
What do you hope people think about you?
I hope people like me – I think it is important to be liked in life but I also hope people respect me for all my idiosyncrasies, my strength of character, my honesty and my integrity.
